Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration in a bid to block billions of dollars in proposed funding cuts, escalating a high-stakes clash over academic independence, diversity initiatives, and alleged government overreach.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, follows a series of aggressive moves by the administration, including freezing $2.2 billion in federal research funding and threatening Harvard’s tax-exempt status. The administration claims the elite institution failed to comply with new conditions related to anti-Semitism, diversity programs, and curriculum oversight.
‘The consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting,” wrote Harvard President Alan M. Garber in a letter to the university community.
The White House quickly issued a pointed response Monday evening.
The gravy train of federal assistance to institutions like Harvard, which enrich their grossly overpaid bureaucrats with tax dollars from struggling American families, is coming to an end,” said White House spokesman Harrison Fields. “Taxpayer funds are a privilege, and Harvard fails to meet the basic conditions required to access that privilege.”
Harvard’s lawsuit argues the federal government is unlawfully using its funding power to interfere with academic decision-making and constitutional rights.
This case involves the Government’s efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard,” the suit states.
The freeze affects crucial scientific research, including studies on pediatric cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s. Garber emphasized that the university had taken steps to address anti-Semitism on campus, including forming dedicated task forces whose reports will soon be released.
The funding standoff is not limited to Harvard. Other Ivy League institutions have also come under scrutiny:
Cornell University saw a $1 billion funding suspension.
Brown University had $510 million put on hold.
Columbia University, the center of major pro-Palestinian protests last year, complied with some federal demands after $400 million in funding was threatened.
The Trump administration’s demands included third-party audits of university curricula, hiring practices, and admissions data. Harvard rejected the terms outright in a strongly worded letter dated April 14:
“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” university attorneys stated. “Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.”
Former President Barack Obama, a Harvard alumnus, has expressed support for the university.
